Competition in the Internet market has intensified with the unveiling of a pay-as-you-go package by pan-African Internet Service Provider (ISP), Africa Online, a move that pits it against newcomers Safaricom and Zain.
The ISP hopes to regain its share in the rapidly growing bundled Internet services market with the launch of the pay-as-you-go solution, Infinet Flex, which will give users access to 100mb of data for just Sh500, half what some operators are offering for the same amount of data.
“Whereas Africa Online has mainly concentrated on unlimited packages where customers pay one fee for unlimited Internet access, market information coming through indicate that a significant market that appreciates a ‘pay-as-you- go’ option,” said Salma Mazrui, group head of marketing.
Africa Online, which has claimed in the past to be the market leader in the dial-up market, initiated a shift in its strategy to focus on wireless offerings through its Infinet brand a year ago, seeing it as the most rapid method of signing up new customers. Customers will be able to access the service using a modem costing Sh6,999, after which they will purchase 100mb of data for Sh500.
